"Just live with it"--Words back pain sufferers too often hear

I met 15-year-old Tina and her mom when they were worried about whether she had POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).

Her history, labs, and orthostatic vitals revealed she didn't likely have it. She reported that her dizziness was better anyway, and what was left was just her regular back pain--pain that no one had been able to fix.

I asked, "What back pain?"

Tina was eight years old when she started complaining of back pain off and on. At age nine, she fell out of bed and her back pain significantly increased. It took six months after her fall, three visits with the orthopedist, and an MRI of the upper back to finally reveal her problem. She had evidence of compression and possibly old fracture at her spine level T4. The diagnosis didn't help her. The recommendation was rest, time, and physical therapy, all of which she had already tried.

From third grade to high school, Tina suffered with back pain.

I asked her to come back to the office for fascial counterstrain. Mom sent Dad with Tina because he was a little skeptical and wanted to know exactly what I was doing. Her spine was tender and shifted at the level of her old injury. We spent about an hour of total time finding and releasing the restrictions in her back.

I called Tina's mom four months later. She told me with emotion in her voice that Tina's life has completely changed. She has not reported back pain since she and Dad left my office that day. "Truly amazing," were her words.